Composite material for further processing into sheet-like abrasive products and process for the production thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to an elastically deformable composite material suitable to be processed further into sheet-like abrasive products, comprising a sheet-like supporting base coated or impregnated with a prepolymer material which obtains thermosetting properties when thermally post-cured, or consisting of a coated or impregnated supporting base, characterized in that the supporting base comprises at least one layer of bonded fibers selected among inorganic fibers and organic synthetic fibers, if necessary mixed with natural fibers. Moreover, it relates to a method for the manufacture of the composite material.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An elastically deformable composite material suitable to be processed further into sheet-like abrasive products, consisting of a sheet-like supporting base made of a fibrous construction or a laminate comprising at least one fibrous web and at least one laid scrim or is laminate comprising a plurality of fibrous webs or a plurality of laid scrims, wherein the elastically deformable composite material has a grammage of 100 to 1600 g/m 2  and a thickness between 0.15 and 2.5 mm, characterized in that the supporting base comprises at least one layer of laid fibers selected from inorganic fibers and organic synthetic fibers, if necessary mixed with natural fibers and that the supporting base is coated or impregnated with a prepolymer material, said prepolymer material acquiring thermosetting properties when thermally post-cured, wherein the prepolymer material was applied onto the supporting base in the form of a resin, a dispersion or a suspension and then dried, but not thermally post-cured such that it is present in a solidified status, but not in its fully cured status where it is a thermoset. 
     
     
       2. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the supporting base exclusively comprises laid fibers. 
     
     
       3. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the fibers have the shape of a single-layer or multi-layer fibrous web, or a single-layer or multi-layer laid scrim, or a combination of at least one fibrous web and one laid scrim. 
     
     
       4. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the material of which the fibers are made is selected from polyesters, polyamides, glass fibers which can be surface-modified, mixtures comprising a plurality of said fibrous materials or mixtures comprising one or a plurality of said fibrous materials and cellulose. 
     
     
       5. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the supporting base is a laminate consisting of at least two identical or different layers. 
     
     
       6. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 5 , characterized in that one of the layers is a fibrous web and a second layer is a laid scrim. 
     
     
       7. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 5 , characterized in that one of the layers comprises polyester fibers and a second of the layers comprises glass fibers. 
     
     
       8. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the prepolymer material was applied from the aqueous phase. 
     
     
       9. An elastically deformable composite material according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the prepolymer material is an acrylic material which becomes a thermosetting polymer when fully cured, said acrylic material being mixed with a thermoplastic acrylic material if necessary, and/or that the prepolymer material is a resin which becomes a phenolic polymer when fully cured, in particular a phenol formaldehyde resin produced by condensation.